Fire and our landscape...

Back in 2009 Victoria was hit with some of the worst bush fires we had ever seen. These fires devastated families and communities, stripped the land of vegetation and all things living, but within 48 hours the bushland was fighting back. My father and I ventured to Kinglake after the fires had ceased to help with the clean up of the houses that had been destroyed. At first when we were driving along the road I was looking out over the paddocks of pure blackness, the burnt houses and the collapsed sheds, then looking into where the lush bush once existed I saw black tree trunks, twigs in a darkened landscape. Although once we reached our destination I began to walk around and notice vibrant green appear from the blackened land. The trees had begun to re-sprout, grasses were rising from the ashes and even tiny little ferns were appearing from the darkness. I believe the Australian flora rising from the ashes within 48 hours of devastating fire resembles the Australian spirit. Homes, animals and lives were lost, yet seeing the sparks of green in the black bush gave hope, not just to me but also the men and women around. The town was already beginning to regenerate.

Since then I have looked into the concept of using fire to help the native vegetation. Not only did I find that the aboriginals used burn offs for centuries to improve and manipulate the flora and fauna, but nowadays ‘Pyrodiversity’ is commonly used to rejuvenate landscapes not only in bush land but also national parks and even the botanical gardens at Cranbourne in Victoria. Fire can be a friend, not always a foe!
As it happened...
Signs of hope arising.
From the ashes.
As the days went by the future seemed brighter.